Tortilla Flat

Last weekend we had a visit from Ron's brother Mike and his wife Mary. Actually they're coming back this weekend, just went to Tucson for a few days. We thought they would enjoy a trip to Tortilla Flat, a cute tourist attraction northeast out of Apache Junction on route 88.

Weather wise it might not have been the best day for a drive, but they did get to see the desert all green and healthy from all the rain we've been having.


But wait! What's that down in the ditch? That truck looks way too nice to have been there long. Almost everyone who went by stopped to see if somebody needed help, but the vehicle was empty.


On our way past Canyon Lake, Mary noticed the nice mirror quality of the water.


And we even found an inukshuk. If you haven't heard of these structures, you didn't watch enough of the Olympics.


After an inch of rain the day before, I was hoping to see some washes running. Here we are going through one of them. Mike was driving and doesn't believe in slowing down.


But when we reached Tortilla Flat, Tortilla Wash was a rushing river across the road, complete with a waterfall off the edge.


This guy thought he could avoid the long detour around (and it really is a long way - 108 miles to Apache Junction instead of the 17 we came) and cautiously started in. Most people were yelling for him to continue, but we thought he was crazy.

He backed out and I thought he had changed his mind, but after a couple of false starts, he did drive across. Yikes!!!

As you can see, he accumulated quite an audience. We're not sure where the tow truck was going.


Meanwhile, we decided to get some lunch at the Superstition Saloon.


Mike and Mary appreciated the decor. He even volunteered to remove the wallpaper for them.


The ladies room has to be the most photographed in the world. Here I am posing behind one of the stall doors. (I think my head needs to grow a bit.)


When we left the saloon, we noticed the emergency crews had officially closed the crossing. My favorite was the 'rough road' sign that they added.


Then on our way home, we just missed the show when they flipped over the truck we had seen earlier. We got the story. It had happened the night before when the driver took a dirt track off the main road and somehow flipped into the ditch alongside. We were glad they hadn't taken a flying leap off the road and that nobody was hurt.